This invention relates to an infrared sensors performance measurement system. In the measurement of the performance of infrared sensors, various target systems have been used. The patent to Blau et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,227,879, and Moser, U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,211, relate to systems for measuring thermal sensitivity of infrared sensors. Systems for measuring the resolution of thermal sensors have consisted of a line of uniform sized electrically heated squares positioned at different spacings along the line; rectangular shaped black and white painted areas with different absorption and infrared radiation characteristics and painted white bars on painted black or gray surface. These systems were either very expensive and difficult to use or did not provide sufficient contrast for night time use.
Some infrared systems have aluminum bars laid out on a gravel background in patterns similar to those described above. In these systems, both the bars and background were cold with respect to the scene. This often provided too much contrast with respect to the total scene and saturated the sensors.